Very cordial, knowledgeable, Board Certified attorney. Able to answer all our questions and resolve our anxieties in the event we outlive our retirement savings.
Posted by Sheila Gonzalez Riczko on Sunday, June 15, 2014

As a Tampa Elder Care lawyer, I’ve worked with families facing many different estate planning situations. A circumstance particularly relevant to elder care law is dementia.

Unfortunately, dementia can take quite an emotional and financial toll on the entire family. Alzheimer’s and related illnesses are typically degenerative and slow-progressing, and the patients require considerable care. Our Tampa elder lawyers have experience helping clients create plans that cover both medical and quality of life expenses.

The bottom line is that early planning is critical. If you suspect that a family member is developing Alzheimer’s disease or any ailment that impairs thinking, you need to act immediately to prepare estate plans and provisions. A patient with dementia will decline in mental capacity over time, and they have to define their wishes before their capacity is seriously questioned.

Also because of the progression of the disease, making advanced medical decisions when possible is important. It is advisable to create a healthcare proxy to designate the person who can make medical decisions on your loved one’s behalf when he or she can no longer do so. Again, I cannot stress enough that planning sooner, rather than later, will mean you have more control over what happens in the future.

For dementia patients, protecting assets is another major concern. While the physical progression of dementia can take many years, the mental progression can happen much faster. If you can maximize the value of your loved one’s assets now, you can afford better quality care for longer down the road. Costs associated with dementia can wipe out an estate and any inheritance without proper planning.

With elder care, it helps to seek a qualified attorney who can help you understand the system as it relates to the special needs of those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. We invite you to call our Brandon estate and elder law firm at 813-438-8503 to schedule a consultation if you are ready to get started today.

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